Patrick Henry decried, “It is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope.” Each year 65,000 students graduate from high school with no real hope of a future. They graduate but are precluded from further education and gainful employment. Their only crime, arriving on the back of their parents when but infants unaware of their illegal status. They learn our language attend school and upon graduation instead of a bright future are told they are illegal and in most cases cannot attend college. The sins of their parents fall squarely on their shoulders. They will forever remain illegal due to an illegal entry under current immigration laws.
For the past few years, they receive an illusion of hope as the Dream Act is reintroduced time and time again. The Dream Act would absolve high school graduates of immigration wrongs committed by their parents by providing conditional permanent residency and eventual permanent residency to high school graduates who entered the United States as children and who go on to complete two (2) years of college or enroll in the military.
This past March the Dream Act was again introduced. This time the dream may be more than an illusion. The Dream Act is gaining greater support every day in strength not before seen. Websites such as the Dream Act Portal http://dreamact.info/ and the national immigration law center, http://www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/DREAM/index.htm are devoted to the Dream Act’s passage.
The real hope is that students will be able to realize the American dream and have real hope through access to college and better employment opportunities. Well do I remember Carla, an outstanding student graduating at the top of her class at Patrick Henry High School. She arrived with her family as a toddler. Other siblings came later, U.S. citizens by birth, but she remained in the shadows. She studied hard, was given a computer by a caring teacher, learned English and taught herself with little assistance from her parents. She graduated at the top of her class with an offer for a full scholarship to a local university. Her incredible story stops here, her illusion of hope destroyed when the scholarship and acceptance were taken away when her immigration status was learned. She is the essence of the illusion of hope decried by Patrick Henry growing up in his old home town and going to the high school bearing his name.
This nation has never been a nation to punish children for the wrongs of their parents. It is time for the Dream Act to become reality. Contact President Obama and your local representatives and urge them to support the Dream Act. http://capwiz.com/aila2/officials/congress/?district=06&lvl=C&azip=30350&state=GA
Tags: Dream Act, Immigration Reform
Great idea. All who love Liberty are welcome.